Long Way Around
by Lily-Starbuck
Summary: Sometimes it takes us a while to realise what we really want. Lame summary I know, but I hope the story is ok lol.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys, new ic from me, I know it's been forever since I posted anything, just had zero inspiration lol. Hope ya'll like it. As always I own nothing.

The doors to the conference room swung open with a slight bang and people began spilling out, chatting amiably with each other about the preceding workshop and the seminars they were required to attend that afternoon. For Detective Lou Vartann however, his obligations for the day had been filled. He had arrived in DC from Las Vegas two days earlier and had been given his schedule for the week; he'd discovered that apart from a few hours each morning most of his time, including the weekend, was his own, something for which he was very grateful. Ecklie had informed him the day before he was due to leave that he had been chosen to represent LVPD at a series of workshops and seminars aimed at improving cross jurisdictional cooperation.  
Lou chuckled quietly to himself as he meandered his way through the throngs of people gathered in the lobby of the hotel/convention centre. As far as he was concerned the fancy title was code for the fact that some FBI big wig had finally pulled their head out of their ass and realised that there was a long history of tensions between the Bureau and local law enforcement every time they were required to work together.  
"Took the idiots long enough," he muttered under his breath.

"Detective!" He was just about to push through the doors and head outside when the voice somewhere behind him called out. Lou paid no attention; the place was crawling with cops so the chances that the person was addressing him were slim.  
"Detective!" The voice persisted and a hand grabbed his arm, spinning him round to face a young dark haired man wearing a standard issue FBI suit. It took Lou a few moments to place him, by which time the agent had already started speaking.

"I'm Agent Pratt, we met briefly a few months back during the Cerrasis case. I never caught your name though…"  
"Detective Vartann." They exchanged the obligatory handshakes before falling into a vaguely uncomfortable silence. Pratt was the one to fill it.  
"Hope you guys aren't sore about me poaching Willows. She's a damn good agent, a real assent to the Bureau."

Lou simply nodded. Since Catherine Willow's departure from the Las Vegas Crime Lab six months earlier he'd exchanged sporadic e-mails with her and even enjoyed the odd phone call. His mind drifted back to the night she'd left; they'd gone for drinks prior to her getting a taxi to the airport. Outside the bar they'd shared a passionate goodbye kiss which had left him fighting the urge to speed to the airport, grab hold of her and never let her go. He'd driven home instead, taking to his couch and replaying through his mind every moment of their somewhat tumultuous relationship.  
"How long are you in town for?"  
Pratt's voice forced Lou to return to the present. He cleared his throat before replying.  
"The rest of the week, til next Wednesday/"  
"Great!" Pratt said a little too enthusiastically. "Catherine has a few days off after our last case – man it was a doozy – I'm sure she'd love to see a friendly face."

A voice in the crowd called Pratt's name, effectively ending the conversation.  
"Good to see you again Detective, enjoy your time in DC." And with another handshake the younger man was gone.  
Lou shook his head with a smile as he headed towards the parking garage. Once inside the safety of his rental car her started the engine, double checked the address of his destination before putting the car into gear and pulling away, following the signs for Georgetown.

Hope ya'll enjoyed it. Chapter two coming soon :)  
Lily  
-x-


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys. Didn't think I'd be able to get chapter two up til Monday because I've got a crazy busy weekend at work, but I was awake early and thought I'd post it now :) Thanks to those who've reviewed. Enjoy.

About an hour and a lot of cursing at DC traffic later, Lou rolled to a stop outside a house in a quiet neighbourhood on the outskirts of Georgetown. Taking a deep breath he exited the vehicle and was just about to start up the path to the front door when a somewhat shrill voice stopped him.  
"Excuse me!" As he turned he was confronted by a small woman with bright blonde hair and green eyes darting across the street and coming to a halt in front of him, a wide smile plastered over her features.  
"I'm Marcy Wiseman, I live across the street." She shook his hand vigorously before releasing it. _Why is everyone in this city so damn chirpy? _Lou thought.  
"I'm guessing you're here to see Catherine, lovely lady, such a great asset to the neighbourhood." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Plus having an FBI agent on the street makes everyone sleep a little easier." Back to normal volume. "Catherine pretty much keeps herself to herself but I've never seen you around before."

Lou suppressed a smirk. He could smell a nosey neighbour a mile away, and this woman was obviously fishing.  
"I'm from out of town and running a little late, excuse me." Marcy's smile faltered for a split second as she realised she would be getting no further information from him, before coming back full beam.  
"Of course, I need to run and check on my laundry, just wanted to pop over and introduce myself in case we'll be seeing more of you." Lou returned her suggestive wink with a polite smile, then turned on his heel and made his way to the front door. One quick glance over his shoulder confirmed that Marcy had retreated to her house, though the tell-tale curtain twitch gave her away immediately.

Chuckling to himself he mindlessly reached out and pressed the doorbell; it's chimes almost made him jump out of his skin.  
"Shit!" He muttered; he'd hoped to have a little time to prepare what he was going to say to Catherine when he saw her again, now thanks to that annoying woman distracting him he'd have to think of something fast.  
"Coming!" His heart nearly stopped upon hearing her voice emanating from somewhere in the house.

All too soon the door swung open and there she was. Bare feet, dressed in leggings and a tank top that accentuated every delicious curve, face free of make-up and hair, still damp from the shower hanging loosely round her shoulders. Catherine Willows. The woman who still held his heart.  
Grey eyes locked with blue, the latter widening and sending the eyebrows almost to the strawberry blonde hairline. His eyes searched her face, a frown appearing as he noticed her bruising that marred her right eye and cheek.

Before he could voice any concern or even begin a conversation Catherine beat him to the punch.  
"Lou? What are you doing here?"

I know it's short, but chapter three is longer so I hope that makes up for it.  
Lily  
-x-


	3. Chapter 3

Here's chapter three. It's longer than the others. Hope ya'll like it :)

Lou cleared his throat, offering her a sheepish smile.  
"Hi. I was in the neighbourhood and thought I'd stop by."  
Catherine let out a slight chuckle and leaned against the door frame.  
"Since when does a six thousand mile round trip constitute being 'in the neighbourhood'?" she replied, unable to keep the light teasing edge from her voice. Her former lover smiled.  
"I was the lucky victim Ecklie chose to pack off to DC for a week to learn all about cross jurisdictional cooperation. I had some free time so I thought I'd stop by," he finished with a shrug. He noticed her gaze dart over his shoulder and mentally kicked himself for not calling first; what if she was expecting someone?

"If this is a bad time then I can always…"  
Her eyes snapped back to his. "No! I just have a very nosey neighbour and she's suddenly decided now would be a great time to water the plants in her front yard."  
A quick glance behind him confirmed that Marcy had reappeared, hose pipe in hand, although she seemed far more interested in watching the couple across the street than concentrating on where the water was going; consequently the plants were going thirsty while a nice sized puddle was accumulating on the path.

"Why don't you come in, away from the prying eyes of the one woman neighbourhood watch?" Catherine moved to one side and Lou stepped in, trying to ignore the way the scent of her shampoo made his heart rate quicken.  
The redhead shifted again and shut the door behind them, unable to keep from smiling at the disappointed look that flashed across Marcy's face as they disappeared from view. Turning back to him she was startled to realise how close they were; she could smell faint traces of soap, aftershave and an aroma that was uniquely Lou. Mentally she slapped herself; the six months she'd spent since leaving Vegas conning herself into believing that their split was for the best, that she was fine and had moved on, all had been undone after mere minutes in his presence.  
_'Who am I kidding?' _Catherine thought. _'I could've moved twenty thousand miles away and nothing would have changed.'_

"This place looks nice," Lou's voice brought her back to the present.  
"Thanks. It's smaller than my old place in Vegas but it's home now," she replied, leading him past the staircase and down the hallway into an open plan living room and kitchen. A partially open door to the right led into what Lou could see was an office. The room they were standing in was light and cosy with hardwood floors and a bay window that looked out onto a modest back yard. It was neat and clean yet the pictures of Lindsey, Lily and a couple of Catherine with members of her old team at the lab in Vegas added a homely feel to the place.  
His breath caught in his throat as his eyes fell on a picture of the two of them sat between two others on a shelf of her bookcase. It had been taken by Lindsey the previous Fourth of July at a barbecue/pool party Catherine had hosted. Neither had known it had been taken until the teenager had presented them both with framed copies a few weeks later; Lou's still stood on his bedside table next to a picture of Jake. They were laughing and looking at each other in the picture, his arm wrapped around her shoulders pulling her against him, while one of her hands rested lightly on his chest. The faint red, white and blue flashes of fireworks could be seen in the background. He couldn't quite believe that after everything that had happened she still kept the picture of them on display, and despite willing himself not to read too much into it he felt a glimmer of hope in the pit of his stomach.

"Would you like something to drink?" Lou wrenched his gaze from the photo and turned to answer.  
"Sure, coffee would be great thanks."  
Catherine smiled and gestured to the couch. He sat and she joined him a few minutes later, handing one of the steaming mugs to him before pulling her legs up underneath her and leaning back against the couch, angling her body to face him.  
A comfortable silence blanketed them as they sipped their coffee, occasionally side-spying each other. It was Catherine who broke it first.  
"So, how have you been?"  
Lou shrugged slightly, finishing his coffee and leaning forward to place the now empty mug on the coffee table before settling back on the couch.  
"I've been ok, work's as busy as ever. Never a dull moment for a homicide detective in Las Vegas," he finished with a small grin, making her chuckle as she mimicked his previous move with her own mug.  
"How's Jake? He must graduate college soon?"  
"Yea, he called last week to see if I could make the ceremony next month; I've already booked the time off."  
"Does he know what he wants to do after that?"

Lou exhaled loudly. "I swear that kid wants to give me a heart attack. He's going to take a couple of months off to travel around the country for a bit, then either join the Army or apply to the Police Academy." The grimace on his face that accompanied the latter caused Catherine to let out a giggle. He raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled sweetly back until he caved, a smile of his own spreading across his face.  
"I take it you don't want another cop in the family?" she queried and he shrugged.  
"I don't know. My ex will pitch a fit no matter which option he goes for. He's a grown up, I can't tell him what to do but I've seen this job mess up a lot of guys. I don't want Jake to end up like them."  
Catherine offered a sympathetic smile. She suspected Lou was including himself in the 'lot of guys' statement.  
"Jake's a smart kid Lou, he'll make the right decisions," she countered softly. Acting on impulse she reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. Lou's eyes snapped to her and held her gaze. Slowly he brought his right hand up and placed it over her smaller one. Catherine gasped quietly at the jolt of electricity she felt at the contact. After a moment she cleared her throat and looked away, pulling her hand from under his and breaking the moment as she mumbled 'sorry' under her breath. Lou bit back a frustrated groan, opting instead to change the subject.

"What happened to your face?" He gestured towards the bruising on her right cheek and she instinctively brought a hand up, wincing slightly as her fingers brushed the still tender flesh.  
"Suspect in our last case didn't take too kindly to being tackled to the ground by a woman after he tried to make a run for it," she responded with a wry smile. "He caught me with his elbow, I kicked him in the ribs then cuffed him while he was winded."  
Lou chuckled.  
"That's my girl." He froze as soon as the words were out of his mouth, but one look at her face made him relax. In the silence that followed Lou glanced at the clock on the mantle and was shocked to notice it was just past six. He felt her shift on the couch beside him and suppressed a sigh as he realised he should probably leave. He made a move to stand.  
"It's getting late, I should…"  
"Would you like to…"  
Neither could help but laugh as they both started to speak at the same time. Lou gestured that she should continue first.  
"I was going to ask if you wanted to stay for dinner but if you need to get back…" Catherine trailed off, feeling foolish, while Lou had to force him not to yell 'Yes!' right away. They'd been getting along well, talking and laughing; he wasn't ready for that to end yet.  
"Dinner sounds good," he replied with a smile which she gladly returned, feeling no small amount of relief at his answer.

When he stood and stretched however, that relief started to wane, even as she tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach; his movement had caused his shirt to come untucked from his jeans, exposing a strip of toned skin above his belt. Damn the man still looked good.  
"Bathroom?" he answered her raised eyebrow. She stood and gestured to the hall.  
"Upstairs, first door on the left."  
Catherine moved into the kitchen, listening to his footsteps on the stairs. Once she heard the bathroom door shut she dropped her head to the breakfast bar with a thud and groaned.  
Since moving to DC Catherine had discovered she had no desire whatsoever to date, despite receiving attention from a few men. She'd managed to convince herself it was because she'd started a new career and didn't have time to focus on anything other than that. But as she lifted her head from the breakfast bar and sighed she knew it wasn't the reason; she didn't want to date because she was still in love with the man in her bathroom.  
"A man who lives 3,000 miles away. God I need to get a grip," she mumbled, heading for the fridge and yanking the door open.

The redhead surveyed the contents – or lack thereof – and groaned again; having been caught up with the case, followed by the Pratt-enforced hospital visit and subsequent pile of paperwork, she'd completely neglected to buy groceries.  
"Everything ok?" His voice nearly made her jump out of her skin.  
"Jesus Lou!" She exclaimed, whirling round to face him and letting the refrigerator door swing closed. He chuckled an apology, earning him a glare which morphed into a sheepish smile as she remembered her distinct lack of dinner ingredients.  
"I hope you still like take out."

A few hours later they were sitting on the couch, empty take out boxes littering the coffee table along with a couple of bottles of non-alcoholic beer. Catherine had opted for wine and was nursing her third glass; the alcohol, food and presence of the man next to her had combined to leave her feeling very relaxed.  
They had decided on Chinese food and, after a brief argument, Lou had paid. Without thinking he'd told her she could pay next time, secretly thrilling both with the possibility. They had talked constantly about anything and everything while they ate, their dialogue completely free of awkwardness; it was almost as if the past six months had never happened.

Lou had toed off his shoes, his sock clad feet now resting on the coffee table while Catherine sat cross legged, her back resting against the arm of the couch. Conversation had given way to a comfortable silence, each seemingly lost in their own thoughts.  
Out of the corner of his eye he saw his red headed companion stifle a yawn; a quick glance at the clock told him it was almost midnight. Lou suppressed a sigh. He'd been dreading the moment he would have to leave and it appeared it had arrived. Removing his feet from the coffee table he stood, gathered the empty containers from their meal and his empty bottles ignoring Catherine's objections before padding into the kitchen and depositing them in the trash. When he turned back around she was stood by the breakfast bar.

"You didn't have to do that." He simply shrugged.  
"Uh, it's getting kind of late, I should go."  
Disappointment clouded her features briefly. "Oh, ok. I'll walk you out."  
Pausing to slip back into his shoes and grab his jacket Lou then followed Catherine back through the house to the front door.  
Before she could open it his voice stopped her, causing her to turn and face him.  
"I had a really great time tonight Cath. It was nice to catch up."  
"Yea it was," she replied with a smile. There were a few moments of silence before she spoke again. "How long are you in town for?"  
"I go back next Wednesday night." Deciding to take a chance he continued. "Are you free tomorrow? I've never been to DC before, maybe you could show me around and we could get some lunch or something? It's Saturday so I don't have any seminars or anything."

A slow smile spread across her face, thrilled at his suggestion and being able to spend more time with him.  
"That sounds nice, how about I meet you at your hotel around ten?"  
Lou mentally high fived himself for getting her to agree as he jotted down the name and address and handed the piece of paper to her.  
"Great, I'll see you tomorrow then."  
Catherine smiled and nodded her assent then, on impulse, she reached up on her tip toes and pressed a brief, soft kiss to his cheek. His eyes were wide with surprise when he pulled away and he coughed slightly.  
"Good night Lou," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.  
"Goodnight Cath." His response was equally quiet as he held her gaze.

After a moment she broke the spell and opened the door allowing him to step out into the night.  
The strawberry blonde watched his progress down her path to his rental car, returning the slight wave he gave her as he slipped behind the wheel, shutting the door before flicking the headlights on, starting the car and pulling away.  
She waited until the tail lights disappeared round the corner before she retreated back inside, shutting and locking the door. Once she was alone she leaned back against the cool wood and closed her eyes.  
"I am so screwed."

I've got part of chapter four written so hopefully it won't take too long to post :)

Lily  
-x-


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys, here's chapter four. Hope ya'll like it, and thanks so much for the reviews. Quick note, I've never been to Washington DC before, so I apologise for any mistakes or inconsitencies with regard to landmarks and stuff. I tried to work things out as best I could. As always, I own nothing.

The next morning Lou woke at 9:00, showered and dressed in jeans and a grey shirt. Gathering his keys, wallet and cell phone he left his room, taking the elevator down to the lobby. He was ten minutes early so he figured he could get them both coffee and wait for Catherine.  
Just as he collected their drinks he caught sight of her coming through the hotel doors. She hadn't yet spotted him so he took the opportunity to observe her. She was dressed casually in jeans, a white tank top and black cardigan with black strappy sandals on her feet, allowing him a glimpse of the blood red polish on her toes. Large framed sunglasses were perched on top of her head, her strawberry blonde hair falling straight over her shoulders.  
As his gaze fell on her face he noted that she'd covered the bruising on her cheekbone with makeup so that it was barely visible; if you didn't know it was there you'd never notice it. He was so caught up in his appraisal of her that when he looked at her eyes he was shocked to have them meet his, the blue dancing with amusement. Damn, busted.

Smiling wryly Lou made his way across the lobby and approached her, extending his arm as he neared and offering the coffee which she greatly accepted. As Catherine took a sip she couldn't help but smile; he still remembered the type of coffee she liked.  
"So Madame tour guide, where are you taking me today?"  
She chuckled, falling into step beside him as they walked towards the doors and out into the warm DC sunshine.  
"Well, I was thinking we could take a look at the White House, Lincoln Memorial, maybe the Smithsonian? I'd suggest the Washington Monument but it's closed."  
"Sounds good to me," he replied, unconsciously placing his hand on the small of her back to guide her round a group of tourists that had congregated on the side walk. Catherine could barely suppress the shiver that his touch elicited, and cursed her body for reacting to him in that way.

"So where did you park?" Lou queried, finally removing his hand as they came to a stop near the parking garage.  
The redhead flushed. "I took a cab." Off his confused look she shrugged. "The doctor at the hospital told me not to drive for a few days."  
Lou's eyes widened and he brought his hand up to cup her chin, his fingers brushing lightly against her skin.  
"Jesus Cath how hard did that guy clock you?"  
"I'm fine, it's just a precaution because I was so dizzy after it happened. Pratt took my keys away and said I could have them when I go back to work on Wednesday," she smiles and brought her hand up, wrapping her small fingers round his larger ones and leaning slightly into his touch.  
Their eyes met and both felt that familiar spark. They were so close, if he just leaned down a few inches…

The moment was broken as the group of tourists bustled past them, chattering loudly. Catherine and Lou simultaneously dropped their hands and took a step back, their hearts beating wildly.  
Once the chaos had passed and Catherine had regained her composure she turned to Lou and smiled.  
"Where'd you like to go first?"  
"You're the tour guide, lead the way," he shot back, returning her smile.

Rolling her eyes slightly she boldly looped her arm through his and guided them towards the nearest bus stop. Lou was slightly taken aback by the contact but brushed it off, allowing himself to simply enjoy having her so close. Both parties knew however, that none of this could end well.

A couple of hours later a sheepish looking Lou and a giggling Catherine descended the steps outside the Smithsonian. They paused on the sidewalk, allowing Catherine time to compose herself.  
"Oh my God that was hilarious!" she exclaimed, chuckling lightly and wiping tears of mirth from her eyes.  
"Glad you find it so amusing," he mumbled. "It felt like I was back in school being told off for talking in class."  
"I can't believe you knocked over that guide book display!"  
"The damn thing jumped out at me," he muttered and flushed slightly as a group of school children filed past, some of them giggling and pointing at 'the man who made a mess'.

"Awww, did the big mean display stand attack you?" Catherine teased, and Lou flushed even more. Truth be told he hadn't even seen the stand until he'd bumped into it and sent it crashing to the ground, much to the annoyance of the cashier in the museum shop and his companion's amusement; she'd been walking in front of him and he'd found himself distracted by the sway of her hips.  
"Good job you didn't have your gun, although it would've been fun to watch you explain to the cops why you shot an inanimate object," she continued with a grin. His response was to stick his tongue out at her, causing another round of laughter.  
"Come on, if you promise not to knock anything else over I'll buy you lunch."  
Lou rolled his eyes and she winked, looping her arm through his and squeezing his forearm with her free hand as they began to walk, searching for somewhere to eat. They settled on a little diner and were quickly seated in a booth.

Lunch passed uneventfully; they made small talk until the waitress brought their orders, lapsing into a comfortable silence as they ate. When they were finished Catherine paid and the couple headed back out into the DC sunshine.  
"Ok, where to next?" Lou asked as they walked side by side, their arms brushing occasionally.  
"I'm thinking we should stick to outdoor activities, less chance of you knocking something over," she retorted with a grin. He nudged her lightly with his shoulder but was unable to keep the smile from his face; her amusement was infectious.  
"I'm not going to live that down am i?"  
Catherine laughed. "Not for a while, no."  
"You mentioned something earlier about the Lincoln Memorial?"  
"Yea, we could check that out, take a walk along the National Mall on the way."  
"Sounds like a plan."

About an hour or so later the sun was beginning to set. After seeing the Lincoln Memorial Catherine and Lou had strolled around, ending up in East Potomac Park and picking a clear spot on the grass to sit and enjoy the last of the day's sunshine. Catherine leaned back on her elbows, legs stretched out in front of her. She was grateful for the sunglasses that protected her eyes as she took in the view; the sun descending behind the Washington Monument in the distance, the rippling reflection of the water dancing off the leaves on the trees.  
"It's beautiful," she observed, her gaze unwavering on the picture postcard vista in front of her.  
Lou murmured his agreement. While he did think the scenery was beautiful, for him it had nothing on his view of the woman beside him; the late afternoon light caught her in such a way as to bring out the reds and golds in her hair, and made her pale skin glow as if she was lit from within. She looked breath taking, and he was overwhelmed with the desire to touch her.  
Reaching out, Lou tugged gently on a fiery strand that had become caught in the hoop of her ear ring, freeing it from its confines. Catherine's head swung to face him as his fingers trailed down her bare arm, the feather light touch leaving goose bumps in its wake. Shifting slightly she pushed her sunglasses to rest on top of her head, allowing both pairs of eyes to meet. Slowly so as not to break the moment Lou leaned down, his gaze flicking briefly to her lips to convey his intent. When she didn't pull away or stop him he bent his elbow, bringing their faces level and mere inches apart..  
Catherine's heart rate quickened at the feel of his warm breath hitting her lips. Just as she was about to close the gap and meet his lips with hers, a loud scream pierced the calm of the park.

The couple jerked apart and sat up, their heads turning and scanning for the source of the noise. Laughter followed a few seconds later and a grinning teenage boy came into view, his giggling girlfriend slung over his shoulder slapping him playfully on the back in a half-hearted attempt to get him to put her down.  
Lou muttered a curse under his breath and returned his attention to the redhead beside him. She shook her head and smiled before meeting his gaze, the emotions she found reflected back at her sending her heart into overdrive. After a moment she cleared her throat and glanced at her watch.  
"It's getting late, we should head back."  
The detective's heart dropped, but he nodded and stood, offering his hand to help her up only to notice that she was already on her feet and idly brushing the grass from her jeans. Wordlessly they began to walk, heading out of the park and back along the National Mall. As they reached the sidewalk Catherine stopped and scanned the early evening traffic, searching for an available taxi. Lou's voice brought her attention back to him.  
"Cath, why don't we head to my hotel and I'll drive you home?"  
"Lou it's fine, I can get a cab."  
"It's pointless you doing that when I've got a perfectly good rental car just sitting in the parking garage."  
She opened her mouth to protest but something about the look in his eyes made her pause. After a minute she exhaled quietly.  
"Lead the way detective."

Silence descended over the couple as they resumed walking, both lost in their own thoughts about what had almost happened.

I know I'm evil, but would ya'll expect any less? Hehehe.  
Lily  
-x-


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys, sorry for the long wait. I suck I know lol. Here's chapter five.

Lou pulled up to the curb and killed the engine. The car was silent for a moment before Catherine released her seatbelt, grabbed her purse and opened the door.  
"Today was really great Lou. Thanks for the ride home." She smiled and exited the car, shutting the door then walking up the path to her house. She'd just reached the front door when she heard a slam. Leaving the keys in the lock she turned round, by which time Lou was halfway up the path.  
"Lou?" She raised an eyebrow, regarding him questioningly.  
"Can I come in?"  
Catherine sighed. "I don't think that's a good idea." She turned away, unlocking and opening the door.  
"Why are you pretending you haven't been feeling the same damn things as I have all day?" His words made her freeze, her fingers tightening around her keys. She jumped as his hand touched her shoulder and whirled round to face him, stumbling on the threshold. She would have fallen had Lou's hand not closed around her bicep, pulling her forward until she collided with his strong chest.

Instinctively Catherine's eyes met his, holding the gaze for a moment.  
"We can't do this," she murmured, breaking the contact and heading into the house. Lou darted after her before she could react, closing and locking the door. He leaned against the cool wood for a moment, the dull thud from somewhere in the house barely registering as he took a deep breath, steeling himself for the confrontation that was about to occur.  
After a moment he made his way along the hall, bypassing the purse and haphazardly kicked off shoes that littered the floor like unexploded mines. He found her with her back to him leaning against the breakfast bar, taking a sip from a generous glass of scotch.  
He regarded her for a moment, taking in the tense line of her shoulders and the way her slender fingers gripped the glass tightly as she brought it to her mouth for another large sip.

"Cath, I really think we need to talk," Lou said softly, stepping up beside her but still maintaining a safe distance. She sighed and turned to face him, leaning back against the counter.  
"Why?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.  
"Because there's still chemistry between us. I felt it the moment I laid eyes on you yesterday. You can't deny that you feel it too." Catherine stayed silent, choosing instead to take a large swallow of scotch.  
"I would've kissed you earlier if we hadn't been interrupted," Lou continued. "You didn't try to push me away."  
"I should have!" She exclaimed, her words slicing his heart and causing his stomach to drop. She downed the rest of her drink and set the tumbler on the counter with a thud. "If you'd have kissed me it would've felt amazing for all of five minutes but nothing would have changed. The issues that killed our relationship before are still there, the geography's just different."

Lou took a deep breath and moved a little closer.  
"We were both to blame for that," he admitted gently. Her response was a humourless smile.  
"Yea, right. We both know that the main reason things went south was because you thought I was keeping things from you." She ran her fingers through her hair and swallowed the lump that was building in her throat. "What do you want me to say Lou? That Eddie screwed me up so badly the thought of sharing myself completely with another man terrified me?" She shook her head sadly.  
"You could've told me that," he replied softly, stepping forward until he was arm's length away. "We could've worked through it. We still could."  
A joyless laugh left her lips. "Yea right." Catherine took a deep breath. "Lou, I think you should go. It's been nice catching up, enjoy the rest of your time in DC then head back to Vegas and fins some lovely undamaged woman without a container ships worth of baggage to settle down and be happy with." She turned slightly, picking up the bottle of scotch and refilling her glass.  
"I'm not going anywhere."  
Her gaze snapped to meet his, one eyebrow quirking in an unspoken challenge which he was more than willing to accept.

"Don't you get it? I'm just as damaged as you are. We both have the scars, physically and emotionally, to prove it. And unless a failed marriage, cheating ex and an alcohol problem don't qualify as baggage then I have just as much as you. Our flaws and shared experiences were part of what made us fit so well, we just let the stupid little stuff get in the way" He paused briefly, half expecting her to interrupt but was pleasantly surprised when she stayed silent. "Before you left you told me I deserved more but you were wrong. I don't deserve more, I don't *want* more. I just want you. I still love you Catherine."  
The redhead's eyes widened at his declaration.  
"Lou... I…"

Any further protests were silenced as his lips crashed down onto hers and his arms pulled her flush against him. The handsome detective felt her resisting at first, however before long she had no choice but to surrender to the sensations his mouth on hers was creating and began to return his kiss with equal fervor. One of her hands gripped tightly to his shoulder while the other snaked round his neck, her fingers toying with the short hair there. His hands meanwhile found purchase at her waist, skimming lightly over her lower back then grasping her hips and pulling her even closer. Catherine moaned into the kiss, allowing Lou the opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth and caress hers. When the need for oxygen became too great they broke apart, both breathing heavily.  
Unwilling to sever their contact completely Lou wrapped his arms around her petite frame, running the fingers of his left hand through her soft hair. He suppressed a smile as he felt her arms move to slide round his waist.

"God I've missed you," he breathed, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple as she rested her head on his chest.  
"That shouldn't have happened," she mumbled into the fabric of his shirt. Despite her words Lou was happy that she'd made no move to pull away.  
"It still felt pretty good though," he replied with a chuckle, feeling a thrill run through him as he heard the woman in his arms let out a small laugh as well.  
Her grip on his waist loosened and she leaned back so she was able to look at him.  
"Lou, what are we doing?"  
"Generally it's referred to as kissing," he shot back, earning him a poke in the ribs and a small smile from the redhead.  
"You know what I mean smartass." Catherine sighed. "What is this?"  
"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I do know it's good to have you back in my arms again."  
Another ghost of a smile flitted across her lips as they descended into comfortable silence, still content to remain in the embrace.  
"I still love you too," she blurted out suddenly and Lou couldn't help the wide smile that spread over his face; five little words from her and he was happier than he'd been in months.

"Then we can make this work," he said, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "We'll just take it one step at a time. We can talk, get to know each other again."  
"Until you have to leave," she interrupted, pouting slightly. She looked adorable.  
"We'll cross that bridge in four days when we come to it. We've got the rest of the night to get reacquainted," he responded. Stealing another kiss he released one arm from around her body then used the other to guide her to the couch where they would both be more comfortable.  
It was going to be a long night.

Hope ya'll liked it :)  
Lily  
-x-


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys. Sorry it's taken me a while to update, but I was determined to get another chapter up before I go on vacation Wednesday :D Enjoy :)

The next morning shafts of sunlight seeped through the curtains, one falling across Catherine's face and causing her to stir. A few moments later her eyes fluttered open, a lazy smile spreading over her face as she recalled the previous night. They had talked for hours, neither holding anything back; she had told him everything about her past – the stripping, drugs, Eddie, Sam, the full extent of her involvement in the Eclipse – plus a myriad other things. Lou had interrupted sporadically with questions but for the majority of the time he'd remained silent, his hand applying reassuring squeezes to her thigh every now and then. When it came his time to speak, Catherine had afforded him the same courtesy, staying silent save for the odd question or laugh as he'd recounted some of his college antics.  
Her heart had broken for him as he revealed his doubts about Jake's paternity; when Jake was five, just after he'd caught his ex cheating, she'd confessed she'd been sleeping with both him and his partner around the time she'd conceived. When Catherine had asked why he'd never wanted to know the truth he had just shrugged sadly, prompting her to wrap her arms around him and hold him close. They'd talked for a while longer about happier things before, exhausted, they'd fallen asleep curled up together on the couch.

Catherine stretched and rolled onto her side, her smile morphing into a frown as she realized she was alone. She sat up, bracing her left arm on the back of the couch and sighing softly. He was gone. She felt like a complete fool.  
"Morning beautiful. Coffee?" Her head whipped round at the sound of his voice, the smile returning to her face as she took in his sleep-rumpled appearance. Lou was standing in her kitchen, the coffee pot in his hand poised above two mugs that sat on the counter. She nodded and he poured the brown liquid into the mugs, adding the right amount of cream and sugar to each before re-joining her on the couch, smiling as she eagerly accepted the hot beverage and took a sip, her eyes conveying her gratitude.  
"You ok?" he asked after taking a gulp of his own drink. Catherine paused, biting back her perfunctory 'I'm fine' response; during their talk the previous evening both she and Lou had promised to be honest with each other about their feelings. She wasn't about to renege on that so soon.

"I thought you'd left," she replied softly. Wordlessly he reached out and cupped her face, stroking her cheek gently with his thumb to encourage her to look at him.  
"I'd have left a note if I'd had to go while you were sleeping, I promise."  
Catherine smiled and shifted closer so she could rest her head on his shoulder. His extended arm dropped to wrap around her as they sat in silence, sipping their coffee and simply enjoying each others company and their rediscovered closeness.  
"You have any plans for today?" Lou inquired. Catherine shook her head, leaving his embrace briefly to place her mug on the coffee table.  
"I need to shower though," she replied once she was comfortable again. He chuckled and turned his head, burying his face in her hair and inhaling deeply.  
"You smell fine to me." The low tone of his voice made Catherine's stomach flip. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head and pulled back slightly so he could see her face. "How about you go shower and change, we head over to my hotel so I can do the same, then we can get some lunch and maybe catch a movie or something?"  
"Sounds like a plan," she smiled and kissed him before rising and heading towards the stairs. "I won't be long."  
"Cath?" He called out, causing her to halt in the doorway.  
"Yeah?"  
"Have your showering habits changed since you left Vegas?"  
Her brow furrowed and she regarded him with confusion. "No."  
"Then I'd better make myself comfortable. I'm going to be here a while," he replied with a grin. The grin morphed into a laugh as he ducked to avoid the sandal she'd laughed at his before disappearing upstairs.

A couple of hours later Catherine was sat on the bed in Lou's hotel room waiting patiently while he showered. She flipped through channels on the television, trying to find something to watch to take her mind off the fact that Lou was completely naked mere feet from where she was sat. After a few minutes she gave up, tossing the remote onto the bed next to her and running her fingers through her hair. Sighing she turned her body, bringing her legs up to rest on the bed and leaned back against the wall. A moment or two passed and she shifted so she was able to lie down, releasing another sigh. The sound of the water running could still be heard behind the closed bathroom door, the constant rhythm relaxing Catherine until her eyelids drooped and she drifted off to sleep.

Ten minutes later the bathroom door opened and Lou emerged dressed only in boxers and rubbing a towel over his damp hair.  
"So where did you want to…" The rest of the question died on his lips as his eyes landed on her sleeping form. Smiling, he dropped the towel onto a chair, crossed to the bed and laid down next to her, content to watch her sleep for a few minutes. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and stroked her cheek with his thumb.  
"Cath? Wake up sweetheart." The sound of his voice made her stir. Her eyes opened slowly, blinked a few times then focused on his. "Hey Sleeping Beauty, good nap?" Lou inquired with a smile which she returned.  
"Well if someone hadn't taken so long in the shower I might have been able to stay awake," she teased, yawning and stretching slightly.

Glancing down, his state of undress finally registering with Catherine's sleep-dulled brain and she flushed, feeling the familiar warmth pool at her center as her eyes took in his muscled chest, toned abs and the soft trail of hair that disappeared beneath the waistband of his boxers. Deciding it was dangerous to continue that train of thought to the part of his anatomy those boxers were hiding, she cleared her throat and brought her gaze back to his face.  
"Everything ok Cath? You've gone a little red." He grinned at her and she slapped him playfully on the arm.

Reaching out he brushed her bangs away from her forehead, trailing his fingers down her cheek to cup her jaw. Lou's gaze flicked to her lips and Catherine gave the smallest of nods. The kiss started out gentle, both sets of eyes fluttering closed at the contact. Lou's hand slipped to Catherine's neck, his thumb brushing over the sensitive skin and causing a shiver to ripple through her body. After a few moments gentle exploration the redhead snuck her tongue out, encouraging him to deepen the kiss as she wound her arms round his shoulders, holding him close. As their tongues dueled Lou shifted until he was lying on top of her, supporting his weight on his forearms. Breaking the kiss he trailed his lips down to her neck, easily remembering where each of the particularly sensitive spots were located.  
Catherine moaned softly as his tongue ran over one such spot, a second slightly louder moan followed when his teeth nipped gently at the flesh. Her hands began to wander as he continued his ministrations on another part of her neck; they ghosted over the strong muscles of his back and shoulders, relishing their intimate rediscovery of each other. When Lou shifted slightly to pepper kisses across the swells of her breasts Catherine gasped as she felt his hardening length press against her thigh. Hearing the gasp he paused, lifting his head so he could see her face. She was flushed, her lips bruised from his kisses and her hair slightly tousled. He thought she looked gorgeous.

"You ok?" he asked, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. Her only response was to smile, shift her legs apart and bend her knees slightly, allowing him to settle between them and creating a more intimate connection. Lou groaned and dropped his head to her chest, causing Catherine to chuckle as she pressed a kiss to his crown.  
"You ok there copper?" This time it was his turn to chuckle, lifting his head and gazing down into her bright blue eyes.  
"You're so beautiful." He punctuated his words with a soft kiss to the tip of her nose.  
"Make love to me," she whispered, coaxing his mouth to hers for a kiss that quickly grew heated but still possess a tenderness that their previous carnal encounters had lacked. As they explored each others mouths with their tongues Lou's hand began to wander down her body, trailing over her curves until he reached her leg. Pushing the black and white material of her skirt out of the way his fingers found her skin and began their return journey under her skirt, sliding past her knee. Catherine's breath hitched as his digits dances along the inside of her thigh, inches from her sodden core. Just a little closer and she'd be able to feel those thick fingers slipping inside of her.

The shrill ringing of a cell phone pierced the quiet room, causing Lou to still his hand and break the kiss. The sound persisted until he had no choice but to get up and cross the room to answer the offending item.  
"What?" His voice sounded gruff, but his tone instantly changed and he shot Catherine an apologetic look over his shoulder. "Hey Jake… No it's fine…"  
The rest of his side of the conversation was lost as the bathroom door closed, leaving Catherine alone. She released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and sat up, straightening her skirt and smoothing out her hair while trying to calm her racing heart. The man still knew how to get her motor running and make her react to a simple touch the way no one else could. But something had felt different. Despite the passion and heat that had been aroused by their encounter there had been no urgency, no desperate rush to tear each others clothes off to satisfy their animalistic desires it had genuinely been about making love, and now the moment was gone.  
She was jolted from her reverie by the bathroom door opening and Lou stepping out, a sheepish smile on his face.  
"Sorry about that. I need to have a serious talk with my son about timing. He says hi by the way."  
"It's fine, how is he? Chosen a career path yet?"  
Lou grimaced. "Yea, looks like there's going to be another Vartann in the police force."  
"You look thrilled," she replied with a chuckle, earning her a non-committal grunt. Rolling her eyes she crossed the room and laced her fingers with his, giving them a supportive squeeze.  
"He'll be fine. He's going to make a great cop."  
He sighed. "You're right."  
"Aren't I always?" she shot back with a cheeky grin.  
"Smart ass." He silenced any retort she had by pulling her towards him and pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "If we have any hope of having lunch I better get ready." Stealing another kiss he headed back towards the bathroom.  
"Lou?" The question was evident in her tone and the accompanying raised eyebrow.  
"Cold shower," he responded with a wink before disappearing, her laugh following him through the closing door.

Hope ya'll like it. Reviews are welcome :)  
Lily  
-x-


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys. I know, I suck with updates for this *hangs head in shame* but I'm slowly figuring out where it's going to go, and managed to finish off this chapter last night. Hope ya'll like it and haven't given up on me lol! As always, I own nothing.**

Once Lou had gotten himself ready they'd headed out, stopping for a late lunch at a restaurant down the street. After they'd eaten they'd gone for a walk, wandering around the streets hand in hand simply chatting and enjoying each other's company.  
Now, the sun was just beginning to set, the streets filling a little more with people on their way out for the evening.  
"You still feel like catching a movie?" Lou queried as they walked. He released her hand in favour of wrapping his arm around her waist, keeping her close as they navigated around people.  
"Sure, there's a theatre a couple blocks from here, hopefully they'll be playing something good."  
He shrugged slightly. "If we don't like the movie we can always make out in the back row."

Catherine laughed and swatted him playfully on the chest. "Aren't we a little old for that?"  
Lou gasped. "You're never too old to make out in the back row of the movies; I'll prove it to you when we get in there." He winked and snuck a kiss as they paused on the street waiting for the light to change so that they could cross. Once it was safe they made their way over to the theatre, coming to a stop in front of the board displaying the listings.  
"Oh Jaws!" Catherine's eyes lit up as they landed on the title.  
"That's just finished," the bored looking teenager in the ticket booth piped up, causing the redhead to frown slightly. "The original Halloween is due to start in, like, five minutes though."  
"I haven't seen that movie in years!" Lou exclaimed, turning to his companion who smiled slightly and nodded.

As he paid for the tickets Catherine mentally kicked herself. While she had previously admitted to watching and enjoying slasher movies, Halloween was the only one she hadn't seen in its entirety; both she and Lindsey had been so freaked out by the music and the Michael Myers mask that they'd switched it off half an hour in and watched something else. The prospect of now sitting in a dark movie theatre and watching it didn't exactly fill her with joy, but the Lou had looked so excited when he'd found out it was playing that she didn't have the heart to refuse.  
"You ok?" The man in question asked once they'd collected popcorn to share and made their way to the right screen.  
"Yeah, I've just never seen this movie before."  
"It's great, you're going to love it."  
_'I highly doubt that'_ she thought to herself as they made their way to some empty seats. When she realised he'd led her straight to the back row she shot him a look, earning her a grin in response.

They settled themselves just as the lights dimmed and the movie began to play. The music started and Catherine shivered. This was going to be torture. Lou noticed her movement and, assuming she was cold moved the obstruction between their seats and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her towards him until her head was resting against his shoulder. She snuggled closer, placing her hand on his thigh and smiled as she felt him press a kiss to the top of her head.  
The movie progressed with Catherine spending the majority of it with her face pressed against Lou's shoulder, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. At one point she looked up just in time to see Michael Myers sit up in the background behind Jamie Lee Curtis. Feeling her tense in his arms Lou glanced down to see her eyes closed and the grimace that crossed her face.

"You ok?" He whispered and her eyes snapped open to meet his. "Not enjoying the movie?"  
She smiled sheepishly and shook her head.  
"His face freaks me out," she replied with another shiver. Lou chuckled and received a swift jab to the ribs.  
"I'm sure I can find a way to take your mind off it," he said and before she could respond he swooped down and captured her lips with his own. She moaned quietly into the kiss, allowing him to deepen it as she wrapped her arms around his neck. One of his arms wound round her waist to pull her closer while the other tangled in her hair, holding her head to his as their tongues duelled and played. Catherine gasped and broke the kiss as Lou pulled her into his lap before pressing kisses to her neck.  
"Lou, maybe we should stop," she whispered but her protest was half hearted and was quickly silenced as he pressed his lips to hers again. His hands began to wander, one of them sliding underneath her tank top and stroking her heated skin, making her shudder.

The sound of a throat being cleared made them pull apart, both breathing heavily. Glancing over her shoulder Catherine's cheeks flushed bright red as she saw an usher standing next to their row, a smirk on his face.  
"Maybe ya'll should continue that someplace private," he whispered loudly before turning and walking away. Wordlessly Catherine slipped from Lou's lap and back into her own seat. The handsome detective couldn't help but chuckle, keeping an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her cheek.  
"Told you you're never too old to make out in the back row," he whispered, earning him a quiet laugh and a slap on the arm. Still chuckling he rose and pulled Catherine to her feet, gathering up their stuff while she straightened her clothes then leading her down the aisle and out of the cinema, ignoring the whispers and soft giggles of the other moviegoers they passed.

"I have never been so embarrassed in my life!" Catherine groaned once they were outside.  
"I'm sure they get it all the time," he replied with a laugh, lacing his fingers with hers as they began to walk along the street.  
"Yeah, from teenagers not people our age!"  
"I didn't hear you complaining." He lowered the tone of his voice, making her stomach flip.  
"Didn't say I was copper," she shot back and paused, lifted herself onto her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips.  
"How about we head back to my hotel? We could have a drink or something, or I could take you straight home if you want?"  
"A drink sounds good," she replied with a smile which he returned before kissing him once more and looping her arm through his as they continued along the street.

A couple of hours later they were back in Lou's hotel room, having stopped at a liquor store to buy some non-alcoholic beer for Lou and a bottle of wine for Catherine. The bottle was now half empty and they were sat together on the bed, Lou with his back leaning against the wall and his arm around Catherine's shoulders, whose head was resting against his chest. She'd claimed the TV remote as soon as they'd gotten comfortable and was still flipping through channels trying to find something to watch. Settling on a movie that had just started she tossed the remote onto the bed and downed the last of her wine, placing the plastic cup on the bedside table before snuggling further into Lou's embrace.

"I still can't believe we got caught making out in the back row," she commented. Lou swallowed a sip of beer and chuckled.  
"It was fun though," he replied, kissing her forehead.  
"Oh definitely," the strawberry blonde in his arms responded with a smile and stifled a yawn as they both turned their attention back to the movie.  
"Species. I haven't seen this in a while," Lou spoke again after a while.  
Catherine tilted her head to look up at him. "If this is anything like Halloween I may have to hurt you."  
He laughed and shook his head. "It's a sci-fi movie with an alien, a lot of action, that kind of thing. The female scientist is pretty hot though," he finished with a grin. Catherine rolled her eyes but turned her attention back to the screen nonetheless.  
They lapsed into a comfortable silence, content to watch the movie and spend more time together. In the back of both their minds was the constant knowledge that Lou would be returning to Vegas in a few short days; neither were really sure where they would go from that point and knew they would need to have a conversation about it sooner rather than later, but were reluctant to do so for fear it would spoil the lovely time they had been having together.

A couple of hours later the movie had finished and the credits were beginning to roll. Lou glanced down and couldn't help but smile; Catherine's eyes were closed and her breathing was deep and even. He moved some hair away from her face and kissed her cheek, causing her to stir and snuggle further against his chest. Carefully so as not to wake her Lou shifted to lie flat on the bed. With his free hand he switched off the lamp and pulled the rumpled covers up over them before wrapping his arm around her body, pulling her close.  
Looking down at her face, which was sporadically illuminated by the flickering light from the television, Lou wished that he could stay in this moment forever. She looked so peaceful that very soon her rhymic breathing relaxed him to the point where his eyes began to droop and he quickly joined her in slumber.

**Ther****e you go :) Couldn't resist putting that second movie in there after my friend suggested it hehehe.  
Lily  
-x-**


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